Application Deadline for Fall 2026: December 7, 2025
This deadline applies to applicants who are seeking admission to the Fall 2026 semester. The program only reviews applications once a year (mid-December to early January) and only for studies that begin the subsequent fall semester.
- Graduate School Admission Requirements
- Graduate School Checklist
- Financial Information for International Students
Please note that the GRE is no longer required.
Complete the Graduate School’s online application form (includes a $75 application fee payable by credit card, check or money order; international applicants have an added $6 fee for additional processing, for a total of $81.)
Note that the application should indicate the highest degree one intends to pursue. A master’s degree is needed to pursue the PhD, so if one is applying and would be entering UW–Madison without holding a master’s degree, one would pursue a master’s in HSRP at Wisconsin along the way to the PhD, but the PhD intent would be denoted on the online application. A master’s degree in a related field or from a different pharmacy graduate program will be evaluated for equivalency and potential deficiencies.
Step 1. Assemble the following application materials for the Health Services Research in Pharmacy Graduate Program:
- Statement of Purpose
The statement should outline your:- Reasons for graduate study
- Special interests in the research area
Applicants may contact faculty in the HSRP program if they are interested in their research directions - Background preparation
- Three separate online letters of recommendation
Three recommendations are required, two of which must be academic. Please follow the Graduate School’s instructions to submit Letters of Recommendation. - Resume or CV
Include a synopsis of research projects/professional experiences and information on awards and honors. Upload your resume/CV to your online application. - Transcripts
- Upload unofficial transcripts as PDFs for each university or college attended in the Supplemental Application. (Institutions attended as part of a study abroad program do not need to be included if the coursework is reflected on your current institution’s transcripts). Unofficial transcripts, accessible through student accounts via a college or university website, are acceptable.
- If you request a printed official transcript from an institution you attend/attended, please re-create an electronic version before you add it to the Supplemental Application. This will remove the formatting that causes the transcript to be encrypted and unable to be viewed by the faculty.
- Official transcripts are only required if you are accepted into the Health Services Research in Pharmacy Graduate Program.
- TOEFL or IELTS Scores
- Required for applicants whose native language is not English or whose undergraduate instruction was not in English.
- Have TOEFL scores sent to the University of Wisconsin–Madison (institution code 1846; no department code necessary).
- You may inquire with the School of Pharmacy’s Graduate Manager (gradadmissions@pharmacy.wisc.edu) if you have questions regarding whether or not you need to submit TOEFL results.
Step 2. The Graduate School will email you a unique URL and campus ID number to track the progress of your application, receipt of fee and test scores, and demographic information.
Step 3. Completed applications will be reviewed by the Admissions Committee; applicants are typically notified of their status by March.
Once applicants pass the Admissions Committee’s initial screening, a Zoom or in-person interview will likely be conducted with two to three faculty members.
All qualified students interested in graduate education in Health Services Research in Pharmacy are invited to apply. All applicants must satisfy minimum admission requirements established by the UW–Madison Graduate School. A professional degree in pharmacy and basic course work in the health services research are desirable but not required. Written descriptions of relevant professional experiences and interests are useful to the division’s admission committee when reviewing applicants.
Selection Criteria
The Health Services Research in Pharmacy graduate admissions committee considers all of the required application materials in making admissions decisions. Important factors for admission include:
- Undergraduate course work
- Graduate or professional degrees
- GPA — The minimum grade point average required for admission is 3.00 using a 4.00 scale.
- Letters of recommendation
- Background and experience
- Demonstrated commitment to pursue a research career in health services research
- International Applicants: TOEFL or IELTS Scores
Using the above criteria, the admissions committee will evaluate your application to determine:
- Academic Preparation
- Research Experience
- Motivation
- Pursuit of Excellence/Research Potential
- Resilience and/or Perseverance
- Contributions to Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion
Be thoughtful when crafting your “Reasons for Graduate Study” so we understand what you want to research and why you think you can do it here. Although it cannot be stated that this is the most important part of your application, this essay provides an introduction to you as a student. As such, you will want to make it as professional as possible. Take time to read research publications of our faculty to understand whose research most aligns with your interests and the direction you envision taking a graduate research project.
Communication skills are critical in graduate work. Your writing ability will be evaluated via your resume/CV, and should be as professional as possible. For international applicants, your TOEFL/IELTS scores will be examined for English proficiency and reasoning skills.
Faculty will examine letters of recommendation sent on your behalf and examine whether the letters reflect the intellectual curiosity and perseverance needed to accomplish a graduate degree successfully at UW–Madison.
Qualified applicants will be invited for virtual interviews with select faculty members and students in mid to late January. These interviews will help us evaluate multiple factors, including what your understanding of pharmacy and U.S. pharmacy is. Part of the motivation for these questions are to assess your ability to contribute as a teaching assistant for the SAS Division in the school’s Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) and Master of Science (MS) graduate programs.
TOEFL or IELTS Scores
International students must submit English proficiency test scores. The minimum required proficiency scores are:
Note: The UW Graduate School maintains a very extensive FAQ page regarding the graduate student application process at https://grad.wisc.edu/apply/.
Note to international applicants: You are encouraged to see the many online resources of UW-Madison’s International Student Services (ISS) office at https://iss.wisc.edu/
SKIP TO: Applying | International Students | Financial Aid / Funding | HSRP Research & Careers
Applying
Q: Where do I find the online application?
A: Go to the UW Graduate School for the online application.
Q: What are the important dates for HSRP MS/PhD program applications?
A: The application deadline is December 7, 2025 to begin studies in the Fall of 2026.
Q: Can I apply for admission to begin studies at any semester?
A: The HSRP Graduate Program only admits new graduate students to matriculate (begin enrollment) in the Fall semester. This application-matriculation (December application deadline/fall semester matriculation) pattern has been consistent in the recent past and is not expected to change in the near future.
Q: What is the acceptance rate, on average, annually?
A: HSRP graduate admission data for the recent past is presented on the UW Graduate School page. This page also has enrollment, funding, and time to degree data pertaining to the HSRP MS and PhD graduate programs.
Q: Are there admission minimums for GPA or test scores?
A: Applicants must present a minimum undergraduate grade-point average (GPA) of 3.00 on the equivalent of the last 60 semester hours (approximately two years of work) or a master’s degree with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.00. Applicants from an international institution must have a strong academic performance comparable to a 3.00 for an undergraduate or master’s degree. All GPA’s are based on a 4.00 scale. We use your institution’s grading scale; do not convert your grades to a 4.00 scale. Obviously, the higher your GPA, the better your chances of admission, but the quality/intensity of your coursework is also considered.
Please note that GRE scores are no longer required.
Q: How many letters of recommendation are required?
A: Three (3) letters of recommendation are required; the letters are submitted electronically through the Graduate School’s online application process.
Q: I am not currently working in an academic setting. May I submit recommendations from work supervisors rather than from professors?
A: The preference would be for at least two academic references. But it is more important that your recommenders be individuals who know you well, and who can provide substantive comments about your past performance, intellectual potential, and communications (oral and written) ability. The HSRP Graduate Committee acknowledges that such persons can come from employment rather than academic settings. No more than one of the three recommendations should come from a former or current employer, that is, two of the letters should be from academic sources.
Q: What are the payment options for the application fee?
A: The application fee is administered by the Graduate School (not by the HSRP program) and is non-refundable. It can be paid by credit card (MasterCard or Visa), debit/ATM card, personal check or money order, drawn on an U.S. bank. After you submit your application online you will be directed to the fee payment section. Please do not send cash. Note that you may choose up to three programs to submit your application to for this fee.
Q: Are graduate application fee waivers available?
A: The UW Graduate School does offer some fee grants to eligible applicants. See their webpage (https://grad.wisc.edu/apply/fee-grant/) for eligibility requirements and the application process. The Health Services Research in Pharmacy (HSRP) PhD program is often able to provide application fee grants to cover the application fee for domestic (US citizens or permanent residents) applicants who are a member of one of the following groups: African American/Black; American Indian/Alaska Native; Hispanic/Latino; Cambodian; Vietnamese; Laotian; Hmong; Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander; first generation college-bound Wisconsin residents who participated in one of the following TRIO programs: Upward Bound, Talent Search, Educational Opportunities Centers, Student Support Services; first generation college-bound Wisconsin residents who graduated from the PEOPLE Program; or UW–Madison Bachelor’s degree recipients who were in the FASTrack or BANNER programs. Please contact gradadmissions@pharmacy.wisc.edu at least one week before the application deadline about a fee grant code if you qualify.
Q: Do I need to submit a separate application to the Health Services Research in Pharmacy Program at the School of Pharmacy in addition to the application for graduate study?
A: In submitting the online application to the UW Graduate School, you will be prompted to electronically submit the supplementary application materials that the HSRP Graduate Program requires. These supplementary materials include three letters of recommendation, a “reasons for graduate study” essay, a resume, and the School of Pharmacy’s financial aid statement.
Q: What are the most important parts of the application?
A: Each student’s file is considered holistically. There is no single component that will either get you admitted or declined.
Be thoughtful when crafting your “Reasons for Graduate Study” so we understand what you want to research and why you think you can do it here. Although it cannot be stated that this is the most important part of your application, this essay provides an introduction to you as a student, as such, you will want to make it as professional as possible. Take time to read research publications of our faculty to understand whose research most aligns with your interests and the direction you envision taking a graduate research project.
Communication skills are critical in graduate work. Your writing ability will be evaluated, and your resume/CV should be as professional as possible. For international applicants, your TOEFL scores will be examined for English proficiency and reasoning skills.
Faculty will examine letters of recommendation sent on your behalf and examine whether the letters reflect the intellectual curiosity and perseverance needed to accomplish a graduate degree successfully at UW–Madison.
A virtual or in-person interview will likely be conducted with two to three faculty members, if you make the admissions “short list” to help faculty evaluate multiple factors, including what your understanding of pharmacy and U.S. pharmacy is. Part of the motivation for these questions are to assess your ability to contribute as a teaching assistant for the SAS Division in the school’s Doctor of Pharmacy (PharmD) curriculum.
Q: What happens if my transcripts or letters of recommendation arrive before I file the application?
A: This does not present a problem. All documents are organized in one electronic file.
Q: When and how are applicants notified about admissions decisions?
A: The HSRP graduate admissions committee typically makes its decisions in mid-December-mid January and applicants are informed of their status in January-February. Initial communication (acceptances and denials) is done via email; formal, written offers of admission are sent subsequently. Typically, admission and funding decisions are made concurrently. On some occasions, admissions decisions are made first and funding decisions are made later. Offers that include funding must be responded to by April 15.
Q: I am a PharmD graduate at UW–Madison School of Pharmacy and would like to apply to the HSRP graduate program. What do I need to submit?
A: The HSRP Graduate Program enthusiastically welcomes applications from UW–Madison PharmD alumni. Application to the HSRP graduate program is significantly different in process than application to the PharmD program. A different office (Graduate Programs) at the School of Pharmacy handles graduate applications, in coordination with the UW Graduate School. You must apply online; begin the process at https://apply.grad.wisc.edu/.
Contact the SoP Graduate Programs Manager (gradadmissions@pharmacy.wisc.edu; 608-262-4257; Room 7115 Rennebohm) if you have any questions/concerns as you move through the application process.
Q: I have applied for graduate study and would like to know the status of my application. Whom do I contact?
A: When the Graduate School acknowledges receipt of your application, their email message will give you a secure link to an application status page. Check this page periodically to see what documents have been received by the School of Pharmacy. You may contact the school’s Graduate Program Manager (SoP GPM) to check on any documents you believe have been sent but do not reflect as “received” on your application status page. To reach the SoP GPM, either email gradadmissions@pharmacy.wisc.edu or call 608-262-4257.
Q: Are interviews required for admission?
A: The HSRP graduate program reserves the right to interview applicants. International applicants who pass the admissions committee’s initial screening are typically interviewed via phone or virtually to better judge their English proficiency.
Q: Is a visit to the Madison campus recommended prior to application?
A: At this time we are no longer hosting in-person campus visits. However, we offer some virtual options for our prospective students to meet with our faculty and students.
Please contact the Graduate Programs Manager (gradadmissions@pharmacy.wisc.edu) and allow two to three weeks for scheduling. The GPM will be able to arrange for you to meet HSRP graduate students virtually and to join and observe some of our online meet-ups/seminars. A resume may be requested from individuals requesting such a meeting with faculty and graduate students.
Q: Do I need to have a pharmacy degree earned in the U.S. to apply?
A: No. A professional degree in pharmacy is helpful, but not required. The program welcomes talent from a variety of academic backgrounds—from the span of the social sciences and communications to public/population health to economics/business/marketing to industrial engineering. Pharmacy has been, historically, the most common academic background of graduate applicants. Students familiar with the U.S. pharmacy environment and workplace may be more readily able to assume teaching assistantships for the SAS Division.
Q: How much pharmacy practice experience do I need to be a competitive HSRP graduate applicant?
A: See discussion in the answer to the question above. Those with (or without) pharmacy-type work experience or who hold a degree in a field other than pharmacy are invited to inquire about the equivalency of their background for admissions purposes.
Q: Do I need a masters degree to apply to the HSRP PhD Program? Do I need to have a HSRP-related masters degree to apply for the PhD program?
A: A masters degree is not required to apply. Domestic students that hold or will soon earn a professional degree in pharmacy (PharmD) or an undergraduate degree in sociology, business, economics, or related social sciences and who are interested in applying their knowledge and skills to pharmacy- and health services-related research at the highest levels are eligible to apply. Recently, many industrial and safety engineering concepts have begun to be introduced and applied in the pharmacy profession; an IE background is also highly desirable. International student applications are significantly strengthened by achievement of a masters degree in a HSRP/health services research area. International applicants commonly have earned a BS in pharmacy.
Note that your application should indicate the highest degree you intends to pursue. A master’s degree is needed to pursue the PhD, so if one is applying and would be entering UW–Madison without holding a master’s degree, one would pursue a master’s in HSRP at UW along the way to the PhD, but the PhD intent would be denoted on the online application. A master’s degree in a related field or from a different pharmacy graduate program will be evaluated for equivalency and potential deficiencies.
Information for International Students
Q: What are the institution and departments codes to give to Educational Testing Service (ETS) to send English proficiency and GRE scores?
A: Please note that the GRE is not required.
Applicants who wish to submit GRE scores may enter UW–Madison’s institutional code: 1846. Official scores must be sent from ETS to UW–Madison via electronic transmission.
Q: Do I need to submit an English proficiency test score if I am an international student finishing a BS or MS program at another university in the US?
A: International applicants are exempt from English proficiency tests if:
- English is the exclusive language of instruction at their undergraduate institution; OR
- they have earned a degree from a regionally accredited U.S. college or university not more than 5 years prior to the anticipated semester of enrollment;OR
- they have completed at least two full-time semesters of graded course work, exclusive of ESL courses, in a U.S. college or university, or at an institution outside the U.S. where English is the exclusive language of instruction, not more than 5 years prior to the anticipated semester of enrollment.
Q: Are there admission minimums for the TOEFL?
A: The HSRP Graduate Program’s required minimum scores for the TOEFL are as follows: 92 for internet (iBT) and 580 for the paper test. Higher scores are desirable for the division’s graduate teaching assistantships.
Funding
Q: Will I be guaranteed funding throughout the entire course of my PhD?
A: Facilitating student support is a high priority. SAS faculty work to ensure that students have sufficient funding to be successful. Incoming students are provided with computing and technology resources for their learning and research endeavors; a new laptop is provided to each new graduate student. Travel funding allows students to present at national and regional professional meetings.
The SAS Division’s funding commitment is to provide academic year funding for students for the entirety of their graduate program. Funding will come through an appointment as a Research Assistant (RA), Teaching Assistant (TA), or other support such as a fellowship or training grant appointment. Details of the funding commitment is communicated via the formal offer of admission.
Be sure to complete the Financial Aid Statement that is part of the online application. Of course, students must also perform adequately in TA or PA appointments. Along with a TA or PA appointments of at least 33%, tuition is typically remitted (waived/forgiven). For the 2025-2026 Academic year, the academic year stipend for HSRP students assigned to be an RA, TA, or PA will be $29,157. Summer funding is not guaranteed but your advisor will work closely with you to secure summer funding opportunities if possible. Fringe benefits associated with TA or PA appointments, including comprehensive, low cost health insurance coverage are detailed on the UW System benefits page. Students are generally not funded during the summer months; occasional summer PA appointments are made in the summer.
Q: What are the typical teaching assistantships for graduate students in HSRP?
A: HSRP graduate students serve as TAs in a variety of courses in the professional (PharmD) program and the online 131 Masters program in both the fall and spring semesters. TA assignments are made by the Director of Graduate Studies.
Q: May I work part-time as a pharmacist during my graduate enrollment (e.g. weeknights, weekends)?
A: Yes, if you can secure pharmacist licensure in Wisconsin. The HSRP program encourages its graduate students who are pharmacists to continue working part-time, both to help meet their financial demands, but also to keep that practical connection with pharmacy practice. Many of the faculty believe that connection with pharmacy practice is excellent grounding for HSRP research.
Q: I am an international student who requires financial assistance. Am I eligible for a teaching assistantship?
A: Yes, if you have adequate English proficiency according to university standards. Eligibility is contingent on faculty evaluation of your English speaking skills. If you are admissible by all other criteria, a faculty member will make phone contact for an initial evaluation of your ability. Before you assume your teaching duties, we will also require that you take the UW-administered SPEAK test (the international version of the test of spoken English) once you arrive on campus. Your first semester of teaching will be probationary. If you perform your teaching responsibilities in a satisfactory manner and maintain good academic progress, support will be guaranteed at the level specified in your offer of admission.
Q: What are possible sources of financial assistance if I get admitted?
A: Financial assistance could come in the form of university-based fellowships, teaching assistantships, or research/project assistantships. As one develops during graduate school, earning extramural predoctoral fellowships (such as through the American Foundation for Pharmaceutical Education (AFPE) or via the Howard Hughes Medical Institute) is possible; some fellowships are only available to U.S. citizens.
HSRP Research and Careers
Q: Can you give me a brief introduction about the research of HSRP?
A: The SAS Division is focused on health services research, with an emphasis on pharmacy settings. The program focuses on scientific and humanistic bases for understanding and influencing interactions involving patients, medicines, caregivers, and health care systems. It addresses the need for pharmacists to fulfill roles of clinical practitioner, drug consultant, and drug distribution system manager, where all are aimed at meeting the needs of diverse patients, providers, and agencies that utilize pharmacy services.
The program is extremely interdisciplinary, integrating knowledge from numerous fields to complement knowledge of pharmacy and pharmaceuticals. The objective is to prepare students to carry out independent, theory-based research of their own interest leading to new knowledge and understanding of drug use, patient and provider communication and behaviors, health outcomes, health care systems, and the pharmacy profession. The school’s Graduate Program Manager can be contacted (gradadmissions@pharmacy.wisc.edu) to learn of recent thesis and dissertation titles of HSRP MS and PhD graduates.
Q: If I am interested in a particular HSRP area (e.g. pharmacy management, pharmacoepidemiology), where can I find information regarding a professor who may fit my interests?
A: UW–Madison’s HSRP faculty, and their current research directions, are profiled on our SAS faculty page. The School’s Graduate Program Manager (gradadmissions@pharmacy.wisc.edu) can be contacted to get a compilation of publications that HSRP faculty have authored or contributed to recently.
Q: What’s the career future for those with graduate training in the HSRP discipline?
A: HSRP graduates have taken leadership, professional, and advisory roles in challenging positions in academia, industry, and government. Current employers of HSRP alumni since 1998 are presented on our Student Outcomes page.
The primary career path for HSRP graduates has been academic, serving as faculty in schools and colleges of pharmacy. The American Association of Colleges of Pharmacy (AACP) defines the discipline of Social Administrative Sciences and includes descriptions of various career paths. Contact the school’s Graduate Programs Manager (gradadmissions@pharmacy.wisc.edu) if a more detailed employment report is desired or if you wish to be connected with an alum of the HSRP graduate program employed in a particular setting.
Questions about our program?
Check our FAQ page for detailed answers to common questions